After Hiratsuka Left
Hiratsuka Shizuka had left.
The tea on the table was still warm.
Su Yu turned to look at Yukinoshita Yukino, who sat beside him.
The words she had spoken just moments ago—they had sounded like a confession.
And Su Yu knew one thing for sure: Yukino would never lie in front of Hiratsuka-sensei.
Perhaps because she felt his gaze, the moment Yukino heard the sound of the door closing, she immediately let go of his hand and returned to her 'angry' mode.
Su Yu smiled, scooted closer to her, took her small hand, and gently pulled her into his arms.
"Don't touch me, you terrible man," Yukino scolded, her face tinged with a soft blush as she glared at him.
"Little Yukino, do you know what a tsundere is?" Su Yu asked playfully.
"I am not a tsundere!" Yukino immediately denied, clenching her small fists.
She had learned a lot about otaku culture from Miyazumi Shi.
"Mm-hmm, of course, you're not," Su Yu nodded, his tone clearly perfunctory.
"...I'll ask you one more time. Is the future unpredictable, or can you control it?" Yukino fixed her sharp gaze on him.
"That depends…" Su Yu blinked mischievously. "On you and Yui."
Hearing that, Yukino's face turned red.
She instantly understood what he meant.
Her heart panicked slightly, and she tried to get up and leave.
But Su Yu held her tightly, not letting her escape.
"If you don't let go, I'm going to get angry," Yukino threatened.
"Yui stayed here for a few nights. I taught her some things… and now, our relationship is deeper and more complicated."
"W-What are you trying to say?"
"I heard your confession, so I think it's time for our relationship to get a little closer too. At the very least… tonight, you're staying in my room."
"You—! Just because I like you, doesn't mean you can do whatever you want! Before marriage, I absolutely won't—"
"Relax," Su Yu interrupted her with a smirk. "I have confidence in myself. I won't disappoint you."
Before Yukino could respond, Su Yu lifted her into a princess carry.
Her face instantly turned scarlet.
It was just like last night, but this time, Su Yu walked toward his own bedroom.
He opened the door, glanced at her, and walked toward the bed.
Then, he gently placed her down.
"I'm going to take a shower. You can take your time deciding—whether you want to accept this, or reject it.
"If you keep pushing me away, then maybe I really won't be able to predict the future.
"But… I believe you won't let me down."
With that, Su Yu grabbed his sleepwear and left the room.
Yukino stared at the closed door.
Her first instinct was to leave this room and go to the small guest room next door.
But—Su Yu's words made sense.
If she didn't give this shameless guy some benefits, then sooner or later, other women would appear around him.
She didn't have to look far—
Downstairs, Kawasaki Saki was an obvious example.
Su Yu had saved her, and she still owed him money. That kind of relationship could easily develop into something else.
Not to mention—Miyazumi Shi from Studio Three, or that editor from the publishing house.
Even Yui's two best friends.
Or… her own sister.
Out of all of them, the one who worried her the most was her sister, Yukinoshita Haruno.
If Su Yu and Haruno ended up together, then the Yukinoshita family's future would change drastically.
Most people wouldn't believe it—
But she did.
Su Yu had some kind of protagonist aura.
Whether it was his stories, or the way he handled things, it felt like he was capable of anything.
This unshakable trust came from deep within her heart.
"…I'll believe him this once."
After a long internal struggle, Yukino finally made her decision.
She slipped under the covers, leaving just enough space beside her for Su Yu.
Half an Hour Later
Su Yu returned to the bedroom.
He had already changed into his sleepwear.
Yukino was still in the room.
This didn't surprise him at all.
If she had left, that would have been unexpected.
Their relationship had already developed enough.
What they were missing was just a clear confession.
And for that—he had to thank Hiratsuka-sensei.
Without her intervention, he might have never heard Yukino's true feelings.
Thank you, Sensei.
Su Yu smiled to himself and walked toward the bed.
He knew Yukino was nervous, so he didn't give her much time to hesitate.
Lifting the covers, he slipped under the blankets beside her.
Then, he gently pulled her into his arms.
This hug…
It was far beyond friendship.
And yet, Yukino said nothing.
"Little Yukino, when I first met you, I thought to myself—how amazing would it be if I had a beautiful and proud girlfriend like you?"
"In the beginning, I didn't talk to you because… I was lost. I didn't know what path to take."
"You might not understand what it's like… to be abandoned by someone and feel completely powerless."
"For a long time, I felt like I was an observer, like I existed outside of this world."
"But now, because of you and Yui, I feel like I'm truly living."
"You liked my stories. You brought me into the anime industry. You helped me find a purpose."
"I want to become an outstanding animator. I want to work alongside you, and together, I want us to create anime that will shine over the entire industry."
Su Yu spoke without expecting a response.
Yukino simply listened in silence.
Through his words, she caught a glimpse of another side of him.
His confusion and uncertainty must have been related to his parents' accident.
That version of Su Yu—the one who first looked at her with distant, unreadable eyes—had been different from everyone else.
But now…
Because of her and Yui, he had changed.
And because of Su Yu, they had changed too.
If she thought about it carefully—
Every change Su Yu had caused in her life had been for the better.
Even Yui's friend circle had shifted.
Originally, it had been centered around Miura Yumiko, but now, Yui was slowly becoming the true leader of their group.
Even Yumiko's personality had changed.
As for herself—
She had left the Service Club and become an anime director.
Something she had never imagined before.
Su Yu was still talking, his voice steady.
Yukino hesitated for a moment—
Then, she turned around to face him.
Su Yu stopped speaking.
Instead, he simply hugged her tighter.
Yukino's small hands wrapped around him.
At this moment—words were unnecessary.
Su Yu understood.
To Yukino, their relationship had now officially changed.
If that was the case—
He gazed at the girl in his arms and slowly lowered his head.
Feeling his movement, Yukino lifted her face slightly—
And then, she closed her eyes.
(t/n: for the pov of a single individual, I don't know if I should be happy or sad..)